Knicks Raise First Banner Since 1973 as Title Defense Opens Against LeBron’s 76ers

The New York Knicks will raise their first championship banner since 1973 tonight at Madison Square Garden, and then they have to play a basketball game. The reigning NBA champions open their title defense against a Philadelphia 76ers team that now includes LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, with tip-off set for 7 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. It is the centerpiece of the first-ever nationally broadcast NBA opening-day tripleheader, and it is the reason the Knicks are one of the most talked-about names in the country today.

New York ended a 53-year title drought in June, closing out the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Jalen Brunson poured in 45 points that night, including 13 straight in the fourth quarter, and the Knicks erased double-digit deficits in all five games of the series, winning four of them. Nearly that entire roster is back for the encore, with Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart all returning under head coach Mike Brown.

Banner Night Meets a Superteam Test

The ceremony will be loud, but the opponent is the real story. Philadelphia added James and Brown to a core that already featured Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, and tonight is the first time that new-look group takes the floor in a regular-season game together. Whether the Sixers can figure out how to share the ball against a Knicks defense that finished off the best team in the West in June is the central question of the night.

Brunson has made it clear that the celebration will not soften anything. “There’s no relaxation whatsoever,” the Finals MVP and team captain said after Monday’s practice in Tarrytown, brushing aside the idea that a title would let his teammates exhale. The Knicks are being treated as the team to beat in the East, and every opponent on the schedule will circle New York’s date on the calendar.

Health looks like a non-issue for now. Hart missed the preseason finale against the Raptors with right ankle soreness, but Brown said Monday that he expects Hart to be ready for the opener, meaning the champions should have their full rotation available. New York did drop its first three preseason games, including a 122-104 loss to Minnesota, before beating Toronto 122-120, but starters logged limited minutes throughout and the results carry little weight.

Odds and Matchups to Watch

Oddsmakers have installed the Knicks as 4.5-point home favorites with a total of 232.5 points. Anyone looking to play the opener can compare the latest DraftKings promo code offer before locking in a side or a player prop, and the player markets are already active. Brunson’s points line sits at 24.5 on Underdog Pick’em, while James’ is set at just 14.5 points, a reflection of how many mouths Philadelphia has to feed.

The tactical blueprint for New York starts with the Brunson and Towns two-man game, which can drag Embiid away from the rim and open driving lanes, while Anunoby and Bridges punish any late help. Defensively, the Knicks can rotate their wings onto Brown and lean on Hart’s rebounding to close possessions. Philadelphia’s counter is Maxey’s speed in transition and Embiid’s interior scoring. One simulation model gives New York roughly a 63 percent chance to win, a slight edge that reflects continuity at home against an unproven group.

What Comes Next for the Champions

The schedule does not give the Knicks much time to soak in the celebration. They travel to Boston on Friday, Oct. 23 for a 7 p.m. ET showdown on Amazon Prime Video, then return home Sunday, Oct. 25 to host the Orlando Magic. Looming in the background is the contract situation surrounding Towns, with the Knicks reportedly letting an extension deadline pass without a deal, a storyline that figures to follow the team all season.

The wider league gets its own fireworks around the Knicks game. The Detroit Pistons host the Boston Celtics at 3 p.m. ET, and the Spurs and Thunder renew their Western Conference finals rivalry at 9:30 p.m. ET. But no result tonight will matter to the city more than what happens at the Garden, where a franchise that waited more than half a century for a banner finally gets to hang it. Fans following the early-season market can also keep tabs on the best sports betting sites as the NBA season gets rolling.